John Simpson, The Captive Slave, oil on canvas, 1827, Chicago Institute
History has shown us time and again how cruel and heartless humans can sometimes be towards one an-other. The Captive Slave, by British portrait painter John Philip Simpson, serves as a reminder of a dark and disturbing period when more than fifteen million people were victimized by the transatlantic slave trade that went on for 400 years.
Painted in 1827, The Captive Slave is an abolitionist statement, an attempt to wake up the public and show, in no uncertain terms, how wrong slavery is.
Born in London in 1782, Simpson was in his forties when he created this work, arguably his most notable. With the model’s eyes raised upwards, the pose is reminiscent of how saints and martyrs were often depict-ed in Christian art.
The man in the painting was Ira Aldridge, a free-born actor who modeled for Simpson’s composition. Born in New York City in 1807, Aldridge – the son of a preacher – broke barriers by becoming a popular Shake-spearean actor on British stages. He also worked as a theater manager and playwright.
The collaboration between Aldridge and Simpson was a bold move. After his theatrical performances, Aldridge would often give impassioned talks against slavery. Could Simpson have been inspired by one of Aldridge’s speeches and sought him for this wake-up call?
The entire focus of Simpson’s painting is on the vibrant man restrained by chains. Clothed in bright red attire, the subject looks up with deep emotion on his well-lit face. His gaze tears me to my core, bringing to life what millions who found themselves shackled and robbed of their freedom might have felt.
What would you do if you found yourself in such a situation? Would you pray? Look for an answer or help from God? I hope you never have to find out. In portraying The Captive Slave, Aldridge struck a moving pose in Simpson’s painting that transcends time with a visceral appeal for an end to slavery, once and for all.
Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee during the 1960s, I knew all too well what prejudice and segregation were about. I remember the separate water fountains, take-out windows, seating on buses, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the curfew that was mandatory around the city. None of it made sense.
I was fortunate to have parents who were open and respectful to all people, and who instilled this value in my brothers and me. I was fortunate to have Corinne in my life, the Black woman who raised me for thir-teen years as if I was her daughter. She was family, and she taught me about unconditional love.
The Captive Slave may well have opened minds and changed hearts to lead to Britain’s Slave Emancipation Act in 1833. The painting haunts me, as I cannot fathom a life enslaved, and I hope nobody ever has to experience this painful, deeply wrong reality again.
